


Tale as Old as Ink

by AshenStatic



Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Beauty and the Beast Fusion, Beauty and the Beast Elements, Curses, Demons, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Fairy Tale Curses, Fairy Tale Elements, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, I'll probably fix these tags the further I go along, Joey is a Dick with a capital D, Reader doesn't take anyone's shit, Reader-Insert, Sammy isn't completely off the hook either, Slow Burn, Transformation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-01
Updated: 2018-04-10
Packaged: 2018-11-21 17:58:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11362653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshenStatic/pseuds/AshenStatic
Summary: {Beauty and the Beast AU}Life is good. At least, you think it is. Brier Glen is a nice town, and you're glad to live there. You held a steady job, provided for your little sister, and everyone knew everyone. Although you felt dissatisfied, you knew better than to be ungrateful, and things would be okay so long as you stayed in town. But when your sister wanders too far out and comes back without the family dog, Pluto, it's up to you to go retrieve him from an abandoned studio that had been shut down for years. But how did it get there? You never remembered any building being there, and your parents never mentioned it. But all that mattered was getting Pluto back. It would just be a quick in-and-out, nothing more, nothing less...





	1. Prologue

        Long ago, there stood a small building near the town of Brier Glen. The studio it housed was small, and had only just started to begin its first production: Bendy the Dancing Demon. The black-and-white cartoon was created in hopes that it would grow and become as famous as another cartoon being written at the time, one by the name of Mickey Mouse. Once the pilot episode was released, Bendy quickly became popular right alongside Disney's own cartoon, and the team behind the production quickly set to work on more episodes, which were equally as accepted by society.

        Time passed, and Bendy's popularity grew, but as the cartoon reached its pique, the relationships between producers in the studio began to splinter and crack. The man behind the charming cartoon himself, Joey Drew, had begun practicing witchcraft to increase the show's popularity. He was not satisfied with the amount of praise that showered him and his team every day, and he started to tamper with powers beyond his understanding. Many employees in each department tried to reason with him, but Joey would not listen. He even went so far as to recruit another in his demonic endeavors.

        Sammy Lawrence, the music director behind Bendy the Dancing Demon, had become enamored with Joey's false teachings and set out to help him in any way he could. The dynamic in the studio became strained as episodes started airing later and later, hardly any of them being produced on time. No one could leave, for Joey forced them all to continue their work, despite becoming increasingly afraid of him and Sammy. Finally, when things seemed their darkest, something so horrible happened, no one could have predicted it.

        Joey had Sammy wrapped around his finger so tightly, the man did everything he said. When Joey ordered him to perform a satanic ritual, he did not question it, and did not grow suspicious when Joey fled the studio with one of his closest friends in tow. Sammy did as he was told and was able to successfully summon the demon Joey had wanted, but realized too late that he had been tricked. He had summoned Paimon, the demon of arts and sciences. According to him, Joey had made a deal that allowed Bendy to become as popular as he was, and now he needed to repay Paimon for his services. Sammy tried to reason with the demon, but Paimon would not listen. He was furious that Joey had run out on his end of the bargain. Someone needed to pay.

        Sammy, being the loyal follower of Joey, was selected to hold up Joey's end of the deal, but seeing as he could not pay, the man was cursed for Joey's misuse of the demonic arts. Wanting revenge, Paimon placed a spell over the entire studio, erasing every memory of the studio that created Bendy the Dancing Demon. Every man and woman that produced the cartoon was turned to a monster, and they were no longer able to leave the studio. They were all trapped in the building for the rest of their lives.

        However. When Sammy begged for forgiveness, offering the best musical composition he had written, Paimon relented. The demon fashioned a single rose from the sheet music given to him. To Sammy's disbelief, the demon held a soft spot in his heart for romance, and this proved to be his one ray of hope.

 

      _"If by the time this flower is completely withered, you can learn to love another and have earned their love in return, the curse shall be lifted, and you shall be released from this prison. Should you prove incapable of love and compassion, the rose will die, and you shall stay in this form for all eternity."_

 

        And so, the demon returned to hell, leaving all to wallow in despair. Sammy Lawrence, the man responsible for the curse placed upon them, now guards the rose with the utmost care, for when the last petal falls, with it falls the chance of ever lifting the curse. As time passes, the inhabitants of the studio also fall deeper into misery, losing hope with every day that comes, for Sammy had always been a difficult man. Now that he was a monster, they would likely never be free again.

 

        For who could ever love a beast such as him?


	2. Have Your Cake and Eat It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which your story is explained and an asshole tries to get you in bed with him.

        Wake up. Make breakfast. Make sure Kira gets to middle school on time. Go to work. Lunch. Work some more. Go home. Make dinner. Sleep. Repeat. Every day, you did the same thing, and today was no different. Well, that was a lie. Today was Saturday, so Kira didn't have school, but you still had one more day of work before you got a day off. With a tired sigh, you shouted into the room, your voice echoing through the small one-story house.

 

        "Kira!! Breakfast is ready!!" With that, you turned back to the stove and slid the last pancake onto one of the plates that had been set on the counter. It took no time at all to move the plates to the table and grab the bottle of syrup, which you opened and poured over the two stacks of pancakes. By the time you were cutting into your breakfast, a set of footsteps was coming down the hall. Kira yawned and trudged into the room, her hair sticking out everywhere like a lion's mane.

        "Good morning, Sleeping Beauty. How'd you sleep?" She groaned in response, plopping down at the table without even opening her eyes. Your little sister wasn't a morning person at all. Maybe that's why  _you_  were the responsible one that always made breakfast?

 

        "Mmhrrmmbbhh..." She mumbled under her breath, blindly patting the table in search of a fork to eat with. All you could do was smile at the silly situation.

 

        "Didn't catch that." Kira groaned again, this time cracking her eyes open so she could see what she was doing.

 

        "I said  _'morning'.._." She finally found the fork and stabbed at her pancakes.

 

        "Eat it right." With another groan, your little sister picked up her knife and started cutting bits of pancake off instead of just stuffing the whole thing in her mouth. You smiled at her again, deciding to eat your own pancakes now. Breakfast passed quietly, what with Kira not being up for conversation, so you soon became lost in your own thoughts.

        Today was an okay day. Brier Glen was always quiet and safe, but, well.... Truth be told, you were incredibly bored. The world used to be exciting and filled with so many different possibilities until the day your father had become very sick. It didn't take long before he was bedridden, and nothing the doctor did helped. Thankfully Kira only saw him when he felt better during certain days, but  _you_  still saw him clear in your mind: incredibly pale and struggling to even stay awake on his worst days. Everyone said he was better off after he had passed, that he wouldn't suffer anymore, but the same couldn't be said about your remaining family. Your mother tried to stay positive, but she quickly began to spiral into depression. As she began slipping on bill payments and grocery shopping, it became  _your_ job to keep the three of you afloat. After a year, you graduated high school and focused on your family, namely Kira. You weren't sure how to help your mother, for she refused help of any kind and just kept herself locked in her room for hours on end, but Kira still had her whole life ahead of her. As long as she continued school and kept up her grades, you knew she would be able to find a wonderful career and go wherever she wanted to. As for you? Well.... You had to make sure she had the support she needed. Your mother certainly wasn't going to provide it, so instead of leaving the town to pursue your dreams, you stayed behind and got a job at the postal service to keep paying the bills. It wasn't what you  _wanted_  to do with your life, but...as long as it gave Kira a chance to live in the future, you would settle.

        Then came the day that mom offed herself. She had sunk so deeply into her grief that she couldn't dig herself out, so she chose the only option she could see instead of trying to seek out help. She didn't even give you and Kira a second thought. Or, at least, that's what  _you_  felt. There was no note, and there was no warning. You were the one to find her hanging from the ceiling fan in her room, and since you felt Kira didn't need this kind of tragedy in her life again, you sought help from the townspeople. After explaining the situation, a few of them reluctantly agreed to keep your mother's death a secret. The body was removed while Kira was at school, and only you and the few people that helped paid your respects and buried her. When Kira asked about mom, you told her that she'd had enough of living in this town and just walked out. The tears in your eyes made it very convincing, but you certainly weren't faking. Both parents were gone, leaving you with nothing and nowhere else to go. You  _had_  to stay here. You had to care for your sister. She deserved a better life. She deserved to be free and go wherever she wanted when she finally graduated. As long as Kira was happy, you would be....okay.

        Letting loose another sigh, you shook your head to clear your thoughts and continued eating. Nothing would get done if you stayed stuck in your head like that. Besides, it didn't do well to dwell on thoughts like those. No, it was better to just keep going and not get your hopes up too high. Heaven knows you had already made that mistake once, and you were  _not_  going to make it again.

 

 

        With the dishes from breakfast already finished, you quickly got dressed for work and grabbed your mail bag. You made a quick stop to feed the family dog, Pluto (who had been added to the family after mom bit the dust), and rushed out the door. There was no point in driving to work since it was only a couple blocks away, plus Brier Glen was small enough that hardly anyone drove a car unless they were going to the nearby city. No, you did your job entirely on foot. All you had to do was clock in and pick up the pile of mail behind the counter, then deliver it to the people around town. Judging by the size of the pile, you might actually be able to finish early and spend some time on yourself for a change. How exciting! A smile snuck onto your face as you piled the mail into your bag and picked up the single package that lay with it, only for that smile to disappear as soon as you saw who it was addressed to. A mister Joey Drew.  _Fuck._ You cursed under your breath, already dreading the moment you'd have to walk up to his house in order to deliver it. You couldn't care less what the man had ordered since that guy gave you all  _sorts_ of bad feelings, and you  _really_ didn't want to deal with him today. Buuuut you had a job to do. You'd just have to suck it up and deal with it, like you always did. Oh well. You turned on your heels and headed out the door, mentally mapping the route you would take today. The package would definitely be delivered last, but that meant you'd have to avoid Joey's house while delivering the rest of the mail. That shouldn't really be a problem. Today could still be a good day. You weren't going to let one little package ruin the possibility of having time to spend on yourself. You would just deliver the mail slightly quicker than usual because knowing Joey, he would likely try to flirt with you and invite you inside again. Yeah, no thanks.

        The route you chose was pretty easy. Joey lived just a little inside the outskirts of town, so you started from the center of Brier Glen and worked outwards in a spiral pattern. Some of the residents were outside enjoying the lovely weather, so you said hello and chatted for a bit before continuing on your way. It was about 2:30 when you passed by Joey's house in order to finish delivering the rest of the mail, and you managed to wrap up everything else by 3:15. Now came the worst part. As you slowly approached Joey's front door, you mentally prepared yourself for the passes you knew he would try to make at you. Mail policy said you had to actually knock before setting the package down on the porch, so with a deep breath, you lifted a hand and rapped on the door. Only about four seconds passed before the sound of a lock unlocking was heard, followed by the door opening. Perfect.

 

        Joey smiled when he saw who it was. "Oh, ______! Fancy seeing you here! Finally gonna take me up on that offer?" You simply held out the delivery in front of him, no amusement on your face whatsoever.

 

        "You have a package. Take it." To your dismay, Joey didn't take the box. Instead, he crossed his arms and leaned against the doorway, seeming to get comfortable for a conversation he probably anticipated. You sighed inwardly, still not feeling ready enough for the flirting you knew was coming.

 

        "Aww, but you just got here! Why don't you come in and stay a while? My offer from earlier still stands, and it doesn't have to be at night, you know~" A few days ago, Joey had offered you a place to 'spend the night' after a particularly difficult day. You had turned him down then, and you were going to do so now because you knew  _exactly_ what he meant by 'spend the night', and there was  _no way in hell_  you were going to sleep with this man. He was in his late forties or early fifties or something?? And  _you_ were only in your early twenties! Yeah, no thanks. Age gaps weren't your thing, and Joey Drew was a Grade A certified asshole. You didn't go out with assholes.

 

        You settled him with a small glare. "Package. Yours.  _Take it._ " For good measure, you set it down on the porch and continued glaring at him. "Bye." And with that, you turned and left, making sure the mailbag covered anything Joey could stare at while you walked away. That was something you had learned early on when he had the nerve to cat-call you and stare at your- Ugh. That guy completely disgusted you. Luckily, you were done with your work day now, so you could just relax at home while Kira was out doing who-knows-what on the weekend. And how did you relax? It was simply, really. You had always wanted to be a baker in a small little shop on a corner in the city...

        Okay, so maybe that wasn't so simple, but you were good at it, and mixing all the ingredients together helped you clear your head, not to mention the delicious payoff when they were done baking. It's what made you happy, so that's what you would do to lift your spirits after dealing with Joey. And...you knew the  _perfect_ thing to bake today.

 

        After sifting together the sugar, flour, and salt about five times, you started pouring in the egg whites, gently stirring them together with a smile. So far, things were turning out well! Once the ingredients had been mixed together smoothly, you poured them into the round pan and set it in the oven, making sure to turn it on only  _after_ the pan was inside. One usually wouldn't wait until the very last moment to heat the oven, but this recipe called for it, so you set the heat to 325 degrees (Fahrenheit) and set the timer for an hour. Yes, an hour. This was a very delicate cake. Now you could relax until it was done! You just needed to get the strawberries from the fridge and- Oh. Damn. No strawberries. Ah, that was fine! A trip to the store shouldn't take long, and you had already changed out of your work clothes, so you could just grab your phone and wallet and head out the door.

        Wow. It really  _was_ nice out today. The sunshine felt great, even though it was already a little low in the sky. Daylight Savings and all that. The walk to the small grocery store was quiet and calming as you strolled through the various Brier Glen until the building was in sight. The automatic doors slid open as you approached, and you smiled at Jacqueline behind the counter before heading straight for the produce on the right. Only a small batch of strawberries was needed since you wouldn't use that much. It was pretty easy to choose a batch after checking to see how red each of the strawberries were, so when you finally found the perfect batch, you picked them up and turned-

 

        "Lovely to see you again, ______! Doing some light shopping, I see."  _Sigh._ Of course.

 

        The smile dropped from your face as you looked up at Joey, annoyance clear on your face. "Yes. I was just about to leave, so if you'll excuse me." You sidestepped and started heading towards the counter when a hand grabbed your arm. You didn't miss a beat, turning around and yanking your arm away, the annoyance in your eyes replaced with anger. _"Joey, what did I say about touching me??"_

 

        "Aww, come on, ______! Just give me a chance, why don't you?" The man smiled, placing a hand on one of your shoulders. This only made you wrinkle your nose in disgust. You didn't want this man touching you at all. "Every other girl in this town swoons over me, you know! But I don't want any of  _them_. They're too.... What's the word...? Too-"

 

        "Stupid to see past superficial bullshit?" The comment surprised Joey, and he loosened his grip on your shoulder, giving you a chance to pull away and put some distance between the two of you. Joey quickly got over his surprise, now looking impressed.

 

        "I was going to say too easily swayed, but that works." You opened your mouth to say something, but another man interrupted you as he rushed up to the two Joey with a small basket of groceries.

 

        "Joey, I got what you-" Henry saw you and stopped short, immediately knowing what was going on. "....Oh...." Thankfully, this man had some sense and gave Joey an exasperated look. "Come on, Joe. You've  _tried_  this before, time and time again. ______ just isn't interested!"

 

        " _Thank_  you!" Unlike Joey, you actually felt fine about Henry. He saw how repelled you were when Joey first asked you out and has since tried to convince him to stop hitting on you, but to no avail. You felt that maybe you could get along with Henry if Joey just wasn't in the picture, but you'd likely never get the chance to test that theory. Just to prove your point, Joey scoffed and waved away Henry's statement.

 

        "Nah, it's just gonna take some time and patience! I know you'll come around eventually, ______. I don't see how you couldn't, since you're the only girl in town that's given me a challenge!" He leaned closer, lowering his voice to a deep purr.  _"And you should know that I like challenges~"_  Both you and Henry cringed in disgust, and you took a giant step backwards. Thankfully, the other spoke up first because you didn't know how to respond to something like that.

 

        "Joey,  _please._  You're at least twenty years older than she is, and-" Joey held up a hand and shushed him.

 

        "Henry, Henry, dear ol' Henry. I thought we were friends! You support and believe in me, don't you? And just let me remind you..." He pulled the slightly shorter man closer, muttering in his ear.  _"I didn't have to bring you with me to this town."_  You didn't hear what Joey had told him, but judging by the way Henry paled and turned away, it wasn't good. This only cemented the idea that Joey was a horrible man, as he had done this sort of thing multiple times. Whenever Henry had tried to get him off your back, he would always quietly tell him something that struck fear into them man, and that just made you hate him even more. Someone who manipulates another person time and time again couldn't possibly be good. "Now then!" Well shit, he turned back to you again. "______, why don't you give me a chance? You won't have to worry about getting bored with me. I've done amazing things, and I still can!" The fact that he just wouldn't give up made you incredibly angry, and seeing how he had once again threatened Henry with something only fanned the flames of your rage. Without thinking, you sneered at him and brought up the one thing that always got him to back off.

 

        "What, like that cartoon you supposedly made?" The grin was wiped from Joey's face in no time flat, and seeing this spurred you on more. "I've yet to see any proof that that's true, and unless you can get your shit together and stop acting like an asshole, you have no chance at all with me.  _Now let me buy my damn strawberries already,_ " you spat. Joey had nothing to say, and you were completely done with him today, so you finally turned and continued on towards the counter to pay.

        Henry was impressed, but he knew you had crossed the line. He didn't dare say anything, for fear of making his former boss' mood worse. You didn't see the way Joey's eyes darkened, and you didn't see the way he gripped Henry's arm in a vice grip, earning a small grimace from the man.

 

        "...We're leaving." Henry nodded without question and followed the man out of the store, leaving the basket of groceries by the door. He sincerely hoped you were as strong as you seemed because Joey  _really_ wanted you, and Henry knew from experience that the man wouldn't give up. Whatever Joey Drew wanted, Joey Drew got it.

        Even if he had to take it by force.

 

 

        You were still a little peeved when you arrived at home, but the smell of cake quickly washed away the negative feelings. There was still a decent amount of time before the cake would be done, so you got to work and washed the strawberries, prepping them to be cut into little slices. It took up only a little bit of time, but you had an idea of what to do while waiting for the cake to finish. Ironically enough, there were these old cartoons that you liked to watch, and you stored them in a little box in the back of a closet. There were all sorts of different characters involved, like Betty Boop, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, and the one that you knew least about: Bendy the Dancing Demon. No matter how much people searched, no one could figure out who had made it or where it had been produced. There were no clues at all, and it left everyone completely baffled. It was as if the creators just dropped off the face of the earth. However, that didn't stop anyone from watching any of the episodes that had gotten their hands on, and you just so happened to be one of those lucky people. Luckily, they had been transferred from film reels to VHS tapes a little after production had stopped, so you popped in one of the tapes that included a favorite episode of yours: Tombstone Picnic. The couch cradled your body as you sat down and relaxed into it, and it wasn't long before the images on the screen had you smiling and giggling like a kid again. God, how you had missed the feeling of being a child. At least you could always experience it with these cartoons, and you weren't gonna lie and say that Pluto wasn't named after the actual Pluto from the Mickey cartoons. It had been an attempt to keep that childlike wonder in your life, and it certainly helped a lot. You loved Pluto, and he loved you and your sister. Now if only he could enjoy cake...

        As time passed, you watched maybe one or two more tapes before the oven signaled that the timer was up. The cake was taken out and plopped onto a platter, strawberries placed on top to garnish it. You couldn't help but cut yourself a slice to eat as you went back to the television and continued watching those old cartoons, seeing as it had been a while since you were able to just sit down and do nothing. Before you knew it, the cake was gone, and the sun had nearly set. Kira was expected back soon, but lo and behold, she walked through the front door right as you were thinking of checking up on her.

 

        "Hey! I have a surprise for you!" Before going to greet her, you rushed back to the kitchen and picked up the slice of cake you had cut for Kira. "I made some Angel Food cake for my angel of a sister-" You paused. Now that you were looking at her, you could see the tears threatening to fall and the strange drops of black liquid that splattered her hands and shoes. Something was definitely wrong. "Oh my god, Kira-" Without looking away from her, you set the plate down and rushed up to your sister, checking her over for any scrapes or bruises. There were none. Thank god.

 

        "______..." A relieved sigh escaped your mouth as you pulled Kira into a hug.

 

        "Shh, shh, it's okay. You're okay." After a moment, you pulled away to look at her again. "Tell me what happened." With a few tears falling down her face, your sister began to speak.

 

        "I...I-I was exploring with my friends, a-and we found this- this really cool a-abandoned building just north of town... And we- we got inside, but there was just a bunch of ink..." Ah, that's what the black liquid was. At least it could wash off. "So w-we tried to go deeper, but... T-There were these- these  _things_ in there... These  _monsters_... We all ran away, but..... But...." Kira's face scrunched up as she started to cry a little harder, and you pulled her into a hug again, rubbing gentle circles into her back.

 

        "Hey, hey, it's alright. You're safe, and that's all that matters...." You honestly didn't know what she meant by monsters, but if something attacked her, then you were just glad your sister had gotten away safely. 

 

        "They.." Kira cried harder, hiccuping a bit before speaking again, telling you something that made your blood run cold.

"...T-They got Pluto..." Your thought process froze at the news. They got Pluto. The one who had always been by your side through thick’s and thin. They took one of the only things that made living in this town bearable. They took your dog.

 

 

    _Your dog was gone._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am SO SO SORRY about leaving you guys hanging like that!! I got into this funk where I wasn't able to write anything at all, and then I broke up with my boyfriend, and then college started, and now I have a LOT of homework to do- U G H . I've just been kind of tied up is all, but I wanted to apologize for keeping you all waiting so long. I know it's not fun, but hey, I'm still here, and I haven't dropped this story.
> 
> I also want to thank The Meatly for releasing Chapter 3 when he did because that is actually the thing that reignited my inspiration for this chapter! It also helped me spice things up some more in later chapters, so I can't thank this guy enough for just producing a wonderful game that we're all interested in. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and here's to future updates of Tale as Old as Ink~!


	3. Into the Fray

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You're going to get your dog back.

        Okay. You may have been a little optimistic when you thought the ink would wash out of Kira's shoes. Here you were, hunched over the kitchen sink, desperately trying to scrub out an ink spot from her shoe as she sat at the table in a fresh set of pajamas, and you were becoming increasingly frustrated. No matter how hard you scrubbed, the stupid ink wouldn't come out. All the same, you gritted your teeth and scrubbed harder.

 

        "Come out, you damned spot!!"

 

        "______..?" Kira's voice interrupted your focus, causing you to sigh. You would worry about the shoe later. Right now, your sister needed you.

 

        "Yes?" Turning to face your little sister, you couldn't help but notice the heartbroken look on her face, along with the untouched slice of cake on her plate. "Oh, Kira. You didn't even eat your cake!" Yes, you were dancing around the issue at the moment, but you had a feeling Kira would put a stop to that.

 

        "What do you think is gonna happen to Pluto?" Silence. With another sigh, you set down the shoe, dried off your hands, and moved over to hug your little sister.

 

        "I don't know, K. He's a smart dog, so I like to think that he can take care of himself, but..." The two of you went quiet, not wanting to think about what horrible things could happen to the family dog. As much as you hated to admit, Pluto might actually be lost forever, or maybe even worse. You looked down at Kira's mopey face, only to feel a tug on your heartstrings at the sight of her. Seeing such a small thing upset her really hurt, but...was it really such a small thing? Pluto had been there for years, ever since he was a puppy even. You remembered holding him in your hands after picking him out from the breeder. It would be a lie if you said you weren't hurting either. Now that he was gone, things wouldn't ever be the same. There would be a blank space that couldn't really be filled, just like with mom and dad.

        And in that moment, a crazy idea popped into your head.

 

        "...Kira. What did those monsters look like?"

 

        "They looked like... They looked like that gang from one of those cartoons you like to watch. Butch-something." This made your brows crinkle in confusion.

 

        "The Butcher Gang? Charley, Barley and Edgar?" Kira nodded.

 

        "Yeah. They looked kinda like them, but...wrong. They were all gross and had their body parts were in the wrong spots." A shiver went down her spine at the thought, but you didn't notice. You were too busy coming up with a game plan. It was already evening, so that would make things harder to see, but it would also provide some cover. Avoiding Joey had given you some practice in avoiding trouble, and if you got into any real danger, you could just run or- Wait.

 

        "...Hold on." You finally let go of your sister and made your way to the hall closet, moving aside coats and jackets to find something buried in the back. "Here we go." With a small smile, you took out a wooden bat from Kira's softball days in elementary school.

 

        "______?" Your sister was looking at you in concern, but you picked up on the little spark of hope in her eyes. She was starting to figure what you were planning.

 

        "Okay Kira, I'm gonna need you to do me a few favors." You shut the closet and patted your pocket to make sure you had your phone, snatching your keys off the kitchen counter afterwards. "Don't answer the door for anyone, have your phone on you at all times, try not to eat nothing but junk food while I'm gone, and if I'm not back by the time you wake up tomorrow, then I want you to go to the neighbor's house across the street and call the police. I'm gonna go get Pluto." With one last glance at Kira, you gave her a small 'I love you" before shutting the door behind you and locking it.  If you did this right, then you would be able to just go up there, get Pluto, and come back before the end of the night. All you could do was hope it all went well as you slipped into your car and started it up, heading north to find this supposed abandoned building. You weren't even _aware_ that there was a building up that way, but if Kira said there was a building and that Pluto was still there, then you were going to take her word for it.

 

 

 

        It didn't take long to reach the edge of Brier Glen, but you continued forward down the road and kept your eyes out for anything suspicious. A little ways down the road, you managed to catch sight of a small dirt road leading off to the left. You would have missed it if you hadn't been looking for it, but you thought nothing of it as you turned down the path, unaware of the beady eyes watching you from the darkness. The path was relatively short and opened out into what could have been a dirt parking lot, except overgrown and covered with trampled grass and weeds. As you parked, the headlights illuminated the fact that the building in front of it wasn't doing any better. The stout structure was falling apart at the seams, and whatever paint left on the outside was either faded or peeling from the musty wooden boards that made up the building. The sight of it made you grimace as you stepped out of the car. You didn't really want to enter what looked like a condemned building, but Pluto needed your help. First things first, grab the bat and make sure Pluto wasn't still outside.

 

        "Pluuuutoooooo! C'mere boy!" A sharp whistle for good measure. Remembering Kira's warnings about monsters, you raised the bat and slowly looked around, ready for anything that might jump out at you. As you waited for your dog to (hopefully) come running, the rustling of leaves at the edge of the parking lot caught your attention. Gurgling sounds followed the rustling, and you squinted into the darkness, trying to see what was making those sounds.

 

        It was a good thing you had your bat.

 

        Although the lack of headlights made the darkness seem darker, you were eventually able to make out something limping its way towards you, and what you saw made your heart leap into your throat. It looked like Charley, but one of his eyes was x'ed out, his right leg had been replaced with a plunger, his left hand was gone, and a flood of ink was pouring out of his gaping mouth, making him choke and gurgle as he came closer. Despite the darkness, you were also able to make out the wrench held high in his hand, and you forced yourself out of your state of shock and disbelief when he came within arm's reach. The instant he was close enough, you swung your bat down and crushed his head in, sending him sprawling on his back before he started to dissolve in a puddle of ink.

 

        "What the hell..?" More gurgled caught your attention, and you looked up to see more copies of Charley coming towards you, as well as eviscerated models of Barley and Edgar. There were so many of them coming out of the shadows, and their horrific appearances and sheer numbers made you rethink your earlier decision of not entering the building. Instead of staying at your car, you made a break for the entrance, whacking any Butcher Gang members that got to close in the process. Bursting through the door, you whirled around and slammed it shut behind you, the sound of your heartbeat filling the silence. You took a moment to shudder in horror at the fact that some of your favorite cartoons had just _attacked_ you, but you shoved down the uneasy feeling that it gave you. How they were here and why they looked like that, you didn't know, but dwelling on it wouldn't save Pluto. With a deep breath to calm your nerves, you raised the bat again and slowly stepped further into the building, mentally preparing yourself for another fight. If there were monsters _outside_ , you had no doubt that there would be monsters _inside_ as well. All you could do was hope that Pluto made it to safety in time. Poor dog.

 

        "Pluuutooooo..." You gently called into the hallways, but something around the corner made you stop. The projector and film reels didn't bother you, but what really caught your eye was a cutout of a very familiar cartoon demon. "...Fancy seeing _you_ in a place like _this_." It hadn't really concerned you much, but you had also managed to spot a couple promotional posters for episodes of the cartoon as well. They were really amazing, and this cut out of Bendy topped it all off, making your inner child squeal with delight, but you had to stay focused. There was no time to get distracted. Without another word, you passed by the cutout of Bendy and continued down the right hallway. Although the building outside looked very old and abandoned, everything inside looked at least halfway decent, and you weren't sure how you felt about that, seeing as it meant that someone else was inside. You didn't care who else was in here, but if they hurt your dog, they were going to have the worst night of their life. "Pluuutoooo!!" You called out again, bypassing a message written in ink.

 

        _Dreams come true_

 

        It was probably just some kind of graffiti left behind by a stupid kid (what kid would come inside here?), so you didn't pay it any mind. You just continued down the hallway, eventually coming face to face with another Bendy cutout standing between two different hallways.

 

        "...I don't suppose you know where my dog is, do you, Bendy?" A small moment of silence. With a small sigh, you went left, giving a couple whistles to see if Pluto would answer. Before you could continue, a small bump was heard in the direction you had previously come from. You whipped around, raising the bat in defense, but nothing was there. "...Pluto?" There was no noise, but you began walking back the way you came to see if there was someone hiding from you. If they ended up being friendly, then they could possibly lead you to your dog. If not, well... "Is anyone there?" For a moment, there was no answer, but then you caught sight of something darting behind the corner at the very far end of the hall. _"Hey!"_ Without missing a beat, you bolted back down the hallway and towards the first room that the entrance lead into, skirting around a couple fallen chairs, only to come screeching to a halt when you reached the lobby. A look of utter confusion painted your face as you stood in front the Bendy cutout you had originally passed by. There was no one here. "Are you _kidding_ me??" Some slight anger began to build up as you stood alone in the room. You _know_ you heard someone, and you couldn't have just imagined the movement down here. Nothing moved in this place so far, and the only other living things you had seen here were- Oh shit. The Butcher Gang copies didn't get inside, did they??

        A glance at the front door revealed that it was still shut tight, but something else was strange about the small hallway leading to the door. You stepped closer to the left side of the hallway wall to get a better look, only to be more confused by what you saw. There on the wall was a large black stain shaped roughly like a tall person. There were drops of ink dribbling down from the center of it, and if you didn't know any better, you would say that someone had tried to walk through the wall. Nevertheless, it set you on edge. This hadn't been on the wall when you first came in, so that meant someone had definitely been here after you. It was most likely that strange black shape you saw, and from the looks of things, it had been watching you. The ink though... That only confirmed your suspicion that more monsters rested inside the building. And one had been watching you. Just the thought of that made you severely uncomfortable and caused you to raise your guard yet again at the sudden sound of creaking wood. You looked back towards the lobby and listened for the sound of footsteps, but there were none. It took a second for your brain to register why, but as soon as you heard the wood groan underneath your feet, you understood why there were no footsteps. Oh god, this was gonna-

        The floor gave way, and you shouted in surprise as you fell for a couple seconds. The next thing you knew, you hit the ground. Most of the impact was on your back, and you groaned in pain as you sloooowly sat up, but at least you didn't break anything. If anything, you would probably be really sore tomorrow. Oh well. You would deal with that when it came up, for right now, you had to focus on finding Pluto so you could just get out of this place.

 

        "Okay, okay, I'm alright. Just a little ache, is all..." Talking to yourself had become a small habit of yours when under stress, and it certainly earned you some odd stares from people around town, but you really couldn't find it in yourself to care. Besides, there was (probably) no one around, so there was no reason to be embarrassed right now. Standing up, you brushed yourself off and adjusted the grip on your bat. In front of you, there was a mess of collapsed boards blocking the path that went in that direction. A glance around the room revealed that there was only one way out of here, and that would be the single door on the opposite end of the room. You would have a harder time finding an exit later on, but you had no doubt that you would make it out safely. It was just a matter of finding your dog before then, that's all. However, you would have to be prepared to run into any people or monsters down here because there was no denying that someone had been watching you. Therefore, as you stepped through the door and went down the set of stairs beyond it, you decided to call out to whoever could hear you.

        "Hello??" No answer. Still, you continued on, the bat raised in defense just in case. "I know someone else is here! I'm just looking for my dog, Pluto! I promise I'll leave after, but he means a lot to me and-" Something around the corner made you stop in your tracks for a moment and brought a smile to your face. "Well, well, well, look who we have here!" With a couple steps, you stood in front of the Bendy cutout propped by the other door across the small room. "You are just _everywhere_ , aren't you?" You lifted a hand and booped the spot where Bendy's nose would be if he had one, only for the smile on your face to falter as a thought came to mind. "...Why are you down here?" First there were the horrific Butcher Gang clones outside, then there were the cartoon posters you spotted, and now there were multiple Bendy cutouts all over the inside of the building. Everything was Bendy the Dancing Demon related. Why was it all here? What exactly was this building used for before it was abandoned?

        Once again, another noise caught your attention, and you peeked through the open doorway. "Hello?" The noise evolved into a small shuffling sound, and you didn't know whether to be hopeful or wary. "...Pluto?" The shuffling stopped, but was followed by a small bark. Hopeful it was. "Pluto, come here, boy!" A couple more barks followed, and you heard the distant pitter patter of dog feet on wood. Oh thank god, you had found him. Now you would just have to find a way out of-

 

              ** _CRASH_**

 

                "Oh great, what now?" The sound had come from behind you, so you stepped back across the small room towards the hall you had previously come from, only to have your heart leap into your throat at the sight before you. The hallway was now blocked by a mess of broken and collapsed boards, a large black mass squirming out from underneath them. The figure made a low groaning noise and began to rise, towering over you as it stood to its full height. _"Oh my god..."_ Your voice alerted the figure, and you caught sight of a chillingly familiar face staring down at you. It was Bendy, but he was much taller and thinner than the cartoon had depicted him. Ink ran down his face, obscuring his eyes and distorting the frown he was giving you. If you thought the Butcher Gang was bad, Bendy was even _worse_. Seeing him as a terrifying monster caused every bit of confidence you had to shrink into absolute fear, freezing you in place and clearing your head of all rational thought. Every instinct you had was now gone replaced with panic, and not wanting to just do nothing in the face of death, you did the only thing you could think of. You screamed.

                The monster in front of you recoiled in surprise, and you turned and bolted before he could attack you, only to skid to a stop when Pluto came bounding into the room with another monster on his heels. This one looked like Boris the Wolf, but his eyes were x'd out and there was a gaping hole in his chest that gave a clear view of his open rib cage, leaving an empty space where his heart should have been. You screamed again, and Pluto scampered up to you with a whimper as you turned to run, only to find the way blocked by Bendy. He stood in the doorway, still frowning, and when you looked the other direction, Boris had stepped a bit closer and stretched a hand out towards you. With a yelp, you backed up against the eastern wall, holding your bat out in front of you as if it would keep them at bay. Hopefully it actually would.

 

                _"Stay back!!"_ You shouted at the two as they approached you, making them stop just a few feet away. "D-Don't come near me! I'm warning you!" To prove a point, you brought the bat over your shoulder, ready to swing if either of them made a move for you. They didn't budge, but the two shared a look between each other. Boris and Bendy exchanged a few shrugs and hand gestures, and if you didn't know any better, you would say that they were confused. They were probably trying to figure out what to do with you, really. Whatever it was, you didn't want to stick around to find out. As the two monsters silently conversed, you settled your gaze on the doorway that Pluto had come from. Now that your previous route was blocked _again_ , there was only one way to go, and you would be lying if you said considering it didn't scared you to death. Surely there would be more monsters if you went deeper into the building, but that was better than being trapped between the wall and these cartoon abominations. You had no idea _what_ Boris and Bendy would od with you, and if they decided to kill you then and there, Kira would lose the only family she had left. You couldn't let yourself die here, at least for her sake. Staying in this spot would mean death. At least you had a fighting chance if you weren't cornered and were running away instead, plus it would give you an opening to look for an alternate exit. Going deeper inside wouldn't be safe, but heck, if it got you out of this situation, then you would take it.

                With this newfound plan in mind, you glanced back at the two monsters to be sure that they weren't paying attention (they weren't), then set your sights on the door. You didn't hesitate as you dove between the cartoons and rolled forward, scrambling up and making a break for it as surprised shouts rang out from behind. You dashed down the hallway, hearing footsteps behind you, and gave a sharp whistle, which prompted Pluto to bark and run after you in an attempt to catch up. Another staircase appeared before you, and you took the steps down two at a time before hitting the floor and rushing around the corner. A few things caught your eye as you sprinted through the open area, such as a banjo, various lit candles, and a discarded bowl full of some strange soup, but you continued on without pausing, passing by another Bendy cutout as another doorway came into view. Pluto had since caught up to you, but both of you stopped once you saw what lay beyond the door. It was another small hallway, but the floor was flooded with ink. You only glanced back once, still hearing footsteps pursuing you, before moving forward to wade through the ink. The liquid reached up mid-calf and slowed you down significantly, but you continued on, determined to find a way out. Even Pluto had started bounding through the ink, albeit with a bit of trouble. However, you weren't expecting the explosion of ink in front of you as Bendy rose up out of it. You may have been frightened by the sudden ambush, but that didn't mean you weren't prepared. Without hesitating, you swung the bat directly at him and rushed past as he screeched and stumbled to the side. Fear bubbled up inside you as you finally stepped out of the flooded hallway, looking left and spotting another monster next to a shelf of cans.

                It was Alice. She looked downright horrifying. Half of her face was incomplete, her halo was lodged in her head, and the rest of her was practically dripping ink. She let out a surprised shriek, only to have a flood of ink pour out of her mouth and cut it short as you responded with a scream of your own. You wasted no time and bolted in the other direction, more fear beginning to build up as you ran through another doorway into a more open area. Oh god, it was a mistake. From what the signs on the wall said, you had arrived in the music department, but your attention was quickly diverted from the signs to the black masses of ink on the floor. They looked like the upper halves of humans barely holding themselves together in all the ink, and the instant you stepped through the doorway, their heads snapped towards you. This successfully made your heart stop beating, but your eyes still darted around, desperately looking for a way out while your ears kept you acutely aware of the rapidly approaching steps behind you.

                There. A set of stairs leading upwards on the right. If you could make it past these ink things, then you could get back upstairs and find a way out. You dashed to the right, barely managing to escape the clawed hand you didn't see reaching for you, and weaved through the inky blobs as they started closing in. Just as you made it to the first step, you felt a gooey hand wrap around your ankle, and without missing a beat, you whipped around and swung at the thing with the bat. The inky monster quickly let go and swerved out of the way just in time, but you raised your bat again just in case as you started to slowly back up the steps, keeping an eyes on all the monsters in the room. The black ones had gathered around the bottom of the steps, most of them trying to reach out to you, but what really worried you were the three cartoons that the monsters had parted for. Alice was at the front, her eyes dead set on you as she too reached out, incomprehensible gurgles coming from her mouth as she started climbing the steps. Boris was behind her, and Bendy behind him, both of them frowning as they followed your slow movements up the steps. Pluto was nowhere to be seen, and there was no way you were going to leave without him, but you had to get to safety first. Although you kept your eyes on the monsters, you still backed up the stairs step by step and raised the bat for good measure, giving them all another warning with a fierce look in your eyes as you reached the top step

 

                _"Stay back!! Don't make me use this again!!"_ That was the last thing you said before something wrenched the bat backwards and out of your hands. You whirled around to see who was behind you, but all you managed to catch was a blur of black and what looked like the face of another Bendy cutout. The next thing you knew, pain exploded in your head, and you were dimly aware that you were falling as your eyes rolled back and darkness quickly clouded your vision. 

 

                Multiple pairs of cold hands caught you, and that was the last thing you remembered before everything faded into nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Daaaaamn Sammy, back at it again with the blunt objects-
> 
> Also, please note that I changed the ending of the second chapter, so feel free to go back and see the tiny little difference if you really want to! Thank you for being patient with me, and enjoy the chapter~! <3


	4. Former Fantasies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You wake up.

        Music was playing. It was light and sweet, gently coaxing you out of the darkness with its familiarity. You had heard this melody somewhere before, and as your senses slowly faded back in, you couldn't help but feel a bit at peace. Memories of bright colors, strange spirits and river guardians danced through your mind before it clicked into place. Was this song from Spirited Away?

        Your eyes fluttered open just as you became aware of an immense throbbing on the side of your head. The pain made you cringe, a small moan escaping your mouth as you brought a hand up to shield your eyes. The nearby candlelight wasn't very bright, but it still slightly hurt your sensitive eyes.

 

        "Oh, you're awake!" Someone was in the room with you. With another groan, you lifted your hand and squinted into the room, spotting a man sitting in a wooden chair just a few feet away with a sideways book in his hands. Before you could question him, the dark haired man flipped the book around and showed you the sketch he had likely been doing on a paper placed on the book. "It was a bit hard to see in the low light, but I think I did pretty well. What do you think?" To your surprise, the sketch consisted of a _very_ well-drawn girl with a few cartoonish elements about her. She rested on a mattress with her eyes closed and hair brushed out of her face, looking peaceful as she slept in the shadows. The proportions were well balanced and the shading was even on point. It was really quite impressive. However, the more you looked at the paper, the more you realized that the girl was _you_. This stranger had been _drawing you in your sleep!_

 

        "Holy hell..." Your comment made the man smile before he set the book and drawing down on a nearby desk. As he stood to switch off the radio resting on the desk, you couldn't help but notice some other strange things. The radio looked very old and outdated, being made primarily of wood only having a few knobs, presumably for power and volume (what about station??), and a single speaker on the front. Not only that, but the man himself looked to be fairly young, while his clothes looked like something out of the late 1980's. You hadn't seen anyone wear those kinds of clothes anywhere, save for the pictures in your old school textbooks. That, coupled with the fact that he had apparently been listening to a song from a modern era movie, only served to confuse you even more. You definitely remembered being chased and attacked by a horde of monsters before something (or someone) knocked you unconscious, but now here you were, safe and sound with some stranger who looked like he practically hopped out of the 20th century. What the hell was going on here??

 

        "So! Introductions!" The man stepped closer, extending a hand to help you sit up. You gave it a suspicious glance, but accepted the help. Your head was still aching anyway. "You can call me Patrick. I'm terribly sorry about all this, you must be _very_ confused. I'll answer any questions you have as best as I can, miss...?" Still a bit suspicious, you squinted up at Patrick before deciding to play along for now.

 

        "...______." The man smiled, his eyes lighting up.

 

        "Nice to meet you, ______!" Without missing a beat, you launched into interrogation mode, your mind practically shouting at you in demand for answers.

 

        "Where am I? What is this place?" The smile on Patrick's face wavered a bit, and he looked slightly uncomfortable, which only made you more suspicious.

 

        "Ah... That's a little hard to explain. Well- Not really, but you probably won't believe a thing I say." Memories of ink monsters and disfigured cartoon flashed through your head just the same that scenes from Spirited Away did a few moments ago.

 

        "Try me," you challenged. Patrick's brows flew up in surprise, but he shrugged and obliged to your request.

 

        "Alright then, where do I start... You probably saw those things waiting for you outside, right?" You nodded.

 

        "Yeah, Charley, Barley and Edgar. The Butcher Gang." You started counting off characters on your hand, three fingers already taken by the previous ones you had mentioned. "There was also Alice, Boris, and a horrifying Bendy, all of which looked like they hopped straight out of a horror movie and then got hit by a truck." Patrick blanched.

 

        "Well, that's not very nice..." Before he could say anything else, you fixed him with the most suspicious glare you could muster.

 

        "Plus, there were a bunch of Bendy posters all over the walls, and even some Bendy cutouts too." There was something in the corner that you had taken notice of, and you pointed to it immediately. "Like that one." Patrick didn't look back at it, but he nodded to show that he knew what cutout you were talking about. "Now, I may only be in my twenties, but I'm old enough to know that cartoons don't really exist, so could you _please_ explain to me why I'm seeing disfigured cartoons and Bendy the Dancing Demon merchandise all over the place??" The intensity in your voice caught Patrick by surprise, but he smiled as recognition flashed in his eyes.

 

        _"You know the cartoon!"_ A deadpan look was all he got in response, as that was not the answer you were looking for. He brushed off your attitude and quickly gathered his pencil and drawing before holding out a hand for you again. "No, no, this is a good thing! I know _exactly_ where to start in all this, so please, follow me. I have something to show you." You stared at him for a little longer before huffing in annoyance and smacking his hand away, choosing to stand on your own instead.

 

        "This _better_ be good." Still a little surprised at your continuous attitude, Patrick blinked once before giving you another smile.

 

        "Trust me, this is _entirely_ worth it." With that, Patrick turned and led you out of the room, and you squinted at the Bendy cutout before exiting through the door, only to sigh in frustration at the sight of another one leaning against the east wall. There was just no escaping these things, and Patrick's lack of an explanation was _not_ helping! They had been a little comforting in the beginning since they were in the shape of a familiar face, but after what you had seen last night, you couldn't help but feel like they were staring at you, watching every little move you made. It was starting to freak you out, and you didn't like it one bit. However, before you could voice your opinion on the cutouts to Patrick, a familiar bark caught your attention.

 

        "...Pluto?" You finally looked into the (much larger) room, only to be shocked at the sight before you. In the large, open area, Boris the wolf was on all fours, running around excitedly as Pluto barked and chased after him, both of their tails wagging at the speed of light. Unlike the first time you saw him, Boris was perfectly fine. He looked exactly the way he did in the original Bendy cartoon; bright eyed, bushy tailed and excited to play with your dog. This put you slightly at ease, but you were more preoccupied with the fact that _your dog was okay._ Before you even realized it, you were down on your knees and calling Pluto's name, grinning as he looked over and scrambled towards you after seeing your face. He barked excitedly and tried to lick your face, but you leaned out of his reach, laughing and petting him as much as you could and just overall glad that he was safe. Unbeknownst to you, while you were fawning over your dog, Patrick took the liberty of going over to Boris and giving him a little scratch behind the ears, and the wolf practically melted at the feeling. A similar thing was going on with you and Pluto, but he was on his back, enjoying the belly rub you were giving him. He was kicking one of his hind legs in happiness, and you couldn't help but giggle at the sight. You were so glad you came to save your dog now. It was incredibly hard for you to accept that he had gone missing, and you weren't sure how Kira would've handled- Oh shit, _Kira_.

        Pluto whined when you stopped rubbing his belly, but you paid it no mind as you pulled out your phone and typed in the password so you could send a text to Kira and let her know you were alright. The clock read 8:23 (it was morning already??), so she wouldn't be awake _just_ yet. With a sigh of relief, you typed a quick message.

 

      _I'm okay, don't have to call police. Might be a while. Found other people._

 

        Once the message was sent, you were about to put your phone away when you felt eyes watching your every move. Looking up, you realized that both Patrick and Boris were staring at you, or more specifically, they were staring at your phone. You raised a brow in confusion, but said nothing until Patrick pointed at the device in your hand.

 

        "What is _that_?" You stared in confusion at the question.

 

        "...Have you never seen a phone before?" Both of them exchanged a look before Patrick held out a hand in silent question. Still confused, you locked your phone before standing up and handing the device to Patrick, who proceeded to turn it over in his hands and examine it with wonder-filled eyes.

 

        "This is a phone? What happened to the land line? Does it not need one anymore??" His question only confused you more as Boris leaned over his shoulder to look at your phone as well.

 

        "Land line? No one's really needed a land line for years now." Both Patrick and Boris gave you amazed faces, almost like children listening to a story.

 

        "Wow, really?! That's incredible!!" With bewilderment written all over your face, you simply watched as the two in front of you ogled over your phone, utterly entranced at the sight of it. As you spectated the small scene, you caught sight of Patrick's old-styled clothes and remembered the old radio he had been listening to. You also remembered thinking this guy might have jumped out of the past, but then there were all the old projectors and cartoon posters you had seen the night before on your search for Pluto. The building itself was old and falling apart, and everything inside was old as well, almost as if it too had hopped out of the late 1980s. All the old black and while posters and cutouts of Bendy, the projectors, the ink; it all screamed 'retro', and it made you incredibly suspicious. There were a few new thoughts floating around in your head, and the child in you immediately made sense of them, but the adult you had become said that none of these thoughts could ever be true. However, you had also seen monstrous versions of the cartoons on the aforementioned posters, and now that all the evidence was piling up, you just couldn't ignore the rising suspicion in your mind. Without being too rude, you held out your hand for your phone, and Patrick obliged by placing it in your palm. Once it was tucked away in your pocket again, you fixed him with a hard, inquisitive look.

 

        "Patrick, you still haven't shown me that 'thing' you mentioned."

 

        "Oh!" With a smile, the man hooked an arm around Boris' shoulders and brought him close. " _This_ is who I wanted you to meet! I think you two got off to a bad start last night, and since you know the Bendy cartoon, I though you both might want to start over! So," he motioned between you and the wolf. "______, this is Boris. Boris, this is ______! Say hello!" The two of you stared at each other, you in confusion and Boris in discomfort, while Pluto circled around you and sat by your leg. You tilted your head in confusion, catching was Patrick had said. Bad start? Last night? Does that mean that-

 

        "Were you...the Boris I saw last night? With your eyes crossed out and...?" You gestured to his chest, not wanting to describe the horrid sight you had seen out loud. In response, Boris flattened his ears and whined, nodding slowly and giving you a (near) silent answer. Blinking in astonishment, you slowly lifted a hand and reached up to Boris, poking his nose to be sure that you weren't just hallucinating him this entire time with Patrick, only to find that your finger met something solid. That could only mean that _this was_ _real_.

 

        _Boris_ was _real_.

 

        And he was _standing right in front of you._

 

        "Oh my god." The realization hit you like a freight train.  One of your favorite cartoon characters was standing in front of you, safe and sound. "Oh my god _, you're real, holy SHIT, BORIS-_ " With a wide grin, you suddenly sprung forward and wrapped the wolf up in a hug. After a moment of shock, Boris returned the hug, feeling much more comfortable now that he knew you weren't going to take a swipe at him again. Once you pulled back, you were about to start gushing over what a good boy he was and maybe make Pluto jealous in the process when you remembered how Boris had looked the night before. Your smile faltered. "But- How?? You're fine now?? That looked really painful last night, oh my god, are you okay??" Boris gave you a sad smile and nodded, conveying that he was okay, and that's when Patrick stepped back in.

 

        "Right, then! This is why I wanted to show Boris to you, since it would give me a good place to start explaining all of this mess." Now your interest was piqued. Yes, please, give answers and give them now. "The cartoons you saw last night, Boris, Bendy and Alice? They're all real. At least, here in this building, they are. They don't always look as bad as they did when you first ran into them, but they're all perfectly nice and harmless! It's just that they _look_ all terrifying and everything, but they're all quite lovely, I assure you." It took a couple seconds for your brain to process all of this extra news (good god, they were all alive, but shit, didn't you hit Bendy with a bat last night-?), yet there were still a few things about this situation that confused you.

 

        "Why at night? Why don't they look normal all the time?" Patrick's smile wavered again.

 

        "Uh, about that-"

 

        "And what about the Butcher Gang outside? Do _they_ change back to normal too?" Boris looked a little uncomfortable now.

 

        "Actually-"

 

        "And!" You held up a finger, making sure that he knew this was the thing you were most curious about at the moment. "What were those black things that I saw too? It wasn't just the cartoons I was running from, you know." For a second, you thought you saw something in Patrick's eyes, but it was gone before you even registered it. Maybe you were just imagining it? Either way, now he was giving you a concerned look, the smile gone from his face once more.

 

        "Those things were... They were the other people here in the building. Myself included." Silence.

 

        "...Bullshit." Boris looked shocked at your sudden use of profanity, and Patrick wasn't faring any better.

 

        "Excuse me?"

 

        "You heard me," you stated, placing your hands on your hips in defiance. "I call _bullshit_. Living cartoons, I can believe, especially when there's one _right in front of me_ , but do you _really_ expect me to think that those _things_ last night were _people?_ " For a moment, Patrick looked utterly shell shocked, but he replaced his stunned silence with a coy smile.

 

        "Then I guess you won't believe me when I say that this is the studio where Bendy the Dancing Demon was created?" To that, you held up another finger and opened your mouth to call bullshit again, but paused when your brain brought up key details yet again. Th posters on the wall, the projectors and reels everywhere, all the cutouts of the main character, the _living cartoons_ in front of you and outside. And, you had just remembered this, wasn't there a bowl of some weird soup somewhere while you were running last night? Could that have been that soup that Bendy liked in the show? You knew that a line of soup had been released back when the cartoon was still popular, so it could likely be the same thing you saw last night, and then when put together with all the other evidence (and the old radio and Patrick's knowledge of the place and the characters), the truth dawned on you that that _holy shit_ , you had found the studio that _made your favorite old cartoon_. The realization shown on your face only made Patrick smile more.

        "Oh, and I knew you were uncomfortable when you found out I was watching you sleep, but guess what?" You blinked at him, still very much mind-blown, but a little curious as to where he was taking this. Once he had your attention again, Patrick gestured to the Bendy cutout keeping watch against the east wall. "Bendy can see through all his cutouts, so I'm not the only one who was watching." You jaw practically dropped at that bit of news.

 

        No fucking way.

 

        With an incredulous expression on your face, you slowly approached the cutout and stared at it warily, gauging the happy-go-lucky look it was giving you in return. There was a moment of silence as you contemplated the cutout, but that moment was ruined when you suddenly grabbed the top on the cutout and pushed it face-down to the ground, stepping back to admire your handiwork. A whiny  _'hey!'_ was heard from somewhere in the building, and you couldn't help the small snicker that escaped your mouth. However, once you got a hold of yourself, you turned back to Patrick, still determined to find some remaining answers.

 

        "So... Let me get this straight." The man motioned for you to go on, still wearing a smug smile. God, how you wished you could wipe that look off his face. "Boris, Bendy and Alice. All three of them are real, and they're all here in this building." Boris himself nodded in confirmation. "And this building...is the studio where the Bendy the Dancing Demon cartoon was produced." Both Patrick and Boris nodded. "And there are people in this building that's somehow still standing...who supposedly change into blobs of ink at night while the cartoons turn into horrifying monsters? What the hell??" Patrick had the sense to look a bit sheepish at that last bit, but you only intensified your glare, making sure he knew that _you wanted an explanation, damn it._

 

        "Yes, about that..." Boris whined and flattened his ears, now looking a bit sad. "This entire building is cursed, as is everyone inside." You squinted at Patrick in skepticism, but rolled this new info over a bit in your mind before speaking. You still weren't putting much stock in his answers, but now that you were getting somewhere, a couple more questions popped up that you hadn't considered before.

 

        "...Exactly how many other people are in here?"

 

        "At least twenty."

 

        "And would this 'curse' have anything to do with the fact that nobody even knows you're all in here?"

 

        "Yes! Yes, absolutely!" Another moment of silence.

 

        "Okay... Then what _is_ this curse, and how did it start?"

 

        "Well, it's- You see- ..Ah..." Patrick looked slightly perturbed, but cleared his throat and continued. "When we were still in production, our boss sort of lost it. He was always odd to begin with, but then he started performing these demonic rituals and sacrifices and things like that. The worst part was when he managed to drag our music director, Sammy Lawrence, into his little 'religion'. Production slowed, and the two of them were behaving stranger and stranger until..." You raised a brow, curious as to why he had paused, but Patrick exchanged an uneasy glance with Boris and continued once more. "Well... Sammy was told to perform a summoning ritual for our boss, and he ran out on us while the ritual was being performed. The summoning worked, and Sammy had summoned a demon named Paimon, but since the boss had run out on his end of the deal he had made with the demon, Paimon was very angry. Sammy wasn't who he wanted, but he wanted _some_ kind of reimbursement, especially since he had been summoned. After that, it's...not really hard to see how and why the curse was placed. He turned Sammy into a monster, along with everyone else in the building. I don't know why, but we're all perfectly fine during the day, and it's only at night when things get all messy, but Sammy is...stuck. He doesn't change during the day. He's just entirely ink now. Can't eat, doesn't need to sleep... Thankfully, he can still talk, even if nobody knows how, though he gets pretty lonely at night since the rest of us can't talk with all that ink in our mouths. He's gotta tell us his secret, am I right?" Patrick laughed nervously and dropped off, both him and Boris now waiting in silence for your reaction.

        Currently, you were mulling over the curse in your mind. If you threw out everything you ever knew about the workings of reality, then it all sounded pretty plausible, but you weren't quite sure you believed the words of someone you had only just met. For all you know, he could be lying about all of it! Maybe he was in charge of all the monsters! Yeah, no. Patrick was completely right: you didn't believe everything he said. There were little bits that you would dare to believe, namely that his boss was a wacko and dragged the music director into it, but other than that, you were having a hard time believing in the curse, even with Boris standing in front of you. It was just too unreal. Too much magic involved.

 

        "...You still don't believe me," Patrick stated. "I can see it in your eyes." To that, you looked at him with absolute confidence.

 

        "Yeah, I still call bullshit. If all this is supposed to be real, then where are the other people?" Of course, there was that _'hey!'_ from earlier, but you disregarded it since that probably belonged to Bendy, considering the situation. No, you wanted absolute proof that this guy wasn't lying to you, and you weren't going to believe him without it. 

 

        "Oh, they're all downstairs. I can take you to them, if you'd like! Would _that_ convince you that I'm not lying?" You crossed your arms.

 

        "Maybe." Patrick smiled once again before shrugging and turning towards the west hallway, one hand beckoning you after him.

 

        "Come along, then! Don't wander off, you hear me?" Boris followed him, and you paused for a moment, asking yourself an important question. Were you _really_ going to follow this stranger deeper into this building you knew next to nothing about? He was spinning some pretty tall tales, even if he claimed they were truth. Who's to say that the other 'people' wouldn't be in on this possible sick joke of his? Then again... Patrick was giving you the only chance you had to get some answers. Even if they were fake, you at least wanted _something_ to go off of for this place. Besides, you could always tell Kira to call the cops if you got into trouble. You had taken pretty good care of yourself last night, at least until you had been surrounded, so you had no doubt that you could run before anything worse happened.

 

        ...Okay then.

 

        Let's see where this all leads to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Patrick. I can say with certainty that he is my favorite character in this story, with Sammy as a close second. Patrick has so much going for him though?? I mean, he's nice enough, he's really good at drawing, and he's got a GREAT sense of humor. He even has a good ear for music! Not nearly as much as Sammy, of course, but-
> 
> MAN, I love Patrick. I'm glad I made him and put him in this story. He's the best <3


	5. TAOAI Q&A!

I APOLOGIZE, BUT NO, THIS IS NOT AN UPDATE!

However!

This is a Q&A chapter for you guys to ask me questions about your favorite story! I’m currently working on For Science, which is my Undertale story, and seeing as it won’t be done for a while, I thought I would give you all something to do while you wait! I’m posting this to ALL my stories so you can choose whichever one you like to ask questions about! Of course, there are a few simple guidelines...

1\. Please be respectful and patient. Everyone has a life outside Quotev, and I am no different, so it will take time for me to respond.  
2\. Look at what has already been asked before submitting a question. Someone may have already beaten you to the punch!  
3\. Keep the questions as on topic as possible! I will answer a few personal questions about me if I feel like it, but other than that, try to ask things pertaining to the characters or the story itself! Maybe even my methodology for writing?  
4\. No spammers, please. That just ruins the fun for everyone.

And there you have it! These are my guidelines for you, and now you are free to go ahead and ask (almost) anything you would like. So go on, go for it!

I’ll be waiting! <3


	6. Q&A 1

Hello! I’m back again with the first batch of questions for the Q&A! Please note that this story is posted on both Quotev and Archive of Our Own, so I will be answering questions from both websites. And with that, let’s begin!

 

** Quotev Questions **

      [_AMINO MORE LIKE AMIYES_](https://www.quotev.com/AmiLovesCosplay) _A question, I'm curious about how Joey is going to react, if he hears about this. Is he going to follow the reader eventually, as she leaves, or not follow her/ do anything at all?_

                Ohhh, he’s going to find out about it alright. And he is NOT going to be happy. That being said, he won’t find out until later, when everything is good and nice and everyone is happy. Gotta balance out that fluff with some angst, you know? ;)

 

        [_The dancing deviled egg_](https://www.quotev.com/Thedancingdeviledegg) _Question! How often do you plan on updating this story in particular? Also when are you planning on writing more for it?_

                Your question is already answered. Please read ALL of the story carefully, including the tag line at the bottom (only on Quotev). Too many people have asked this, and I will forgive this one more time, but please be sure to check everything first.

 

        [_PinkiePieParty122894_](https://www.quotev.com/PinkiePieParty122894) _Oh I have a question if you had to choose what do you prefer Undertale and Bendy and the Ink Machine which one do you like more?_

                Hm. Well, I always love the fandoms I’m in, but I suppose I love BATIM more right now since it’s fresher? As in, there is and will be new content coming out in the future, and that only fuels my tendency to eat up everything I can find about a game I like. Undertale is fine, but I’ve begun to move onto other things, you know? However, I’ll still have For Science to keep me in there, so I won’t be leaving for a while ;w;

 

        [_Xtremeweirdo_](https://www.quotev.com/Xtremeweirdo9714) _When do you think you’ll be able to update? If you know for sure if not that’s fine I just adore this story._

                See question two. This question is a bit of a sore spot for me, and I refuse to keep repeating this, so please read E V E R Y T H I N G carefully.

 

        [_Just Call Me Rei_](https://www.quotev.com/KawaiiRei) _Will Alice Angel or the Projectionist be involved in the story?_

                Oh yes, they will both be making an appearance! Please also note that Norman, Wally, Susie, Shawn, as well as any other known characters/monsters will also be in the story! And that includes the Butcher Gang too ;)

 

        [_Nightmare Mangle and the Ender Dragon_](https://www.quotev.com/Sushispider) _Okay, One question about this book. I know there is a curse and all, but still why can't anyone make any connections between Joey supposedly making a cartoon that no one knows anything about, and the Bendy cartoon that no one knows who the creators are?_

                Mm. That’s a question I knew I would get. For my explanation, please refer to both Disney’s animated Beauty and the Beast and the Live Action Beauty and the Beast. People have asked the same question for those two, and considering this story is based on that fairy tale, my answer follows the answer that the Live Action Version provided. The animated version had no explanations but the Live Action revealed that Agatha’s spell also trickled down onto the nearby village. No one had any memory of the castle, and they did not remember their family members that were trapped in the castle either. That’s my answer. No one knows this studio is here, and the people inside are completely forgotten. Everyone knows the cartoon was created, but they don’t know by whom, and seeing as Joey refuses to explain what cartoon he created, nobody makes a connection and just assumed that he’s trying to toot his own horn in order to impress the reader. There are no clues as to who made this cartoon, and Joey won’t say anything because he wants to put the whole angered demon incident behind him. And as for why only Joey and Henry remember? They were from the studio. They created the cartoon. Everyone in and from the studio retains memory of the years they spent making that cartoon, and if they had that erased, it would leave a huge gap that couldn’t ever be explained. Those who made the cartoon remember, but Joey won’t say anything, and he threatens Henry into staying quiet. Nobody knows anything, and nobody WILL know anything until the curse is broken. And there is your answer! Hope you like it! <3

 

** There are no Archive questions at this time **

 

There you have it! I’m actually in the process of writing the next chapter already, and the reader just left the house in order to go and retrieve Pluto, so stay tuned! Thank you!


	7. Clarification

All new chapters will appear before the Q&A chapters, so  _yes_ , there is an update, and  _no_ , Quotev/Archive is  _not_ glitching out on you.

 

Please look again, and enjoy the chapter.

 

Thank you <3

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! Thanks for taking the time to click on this! If I'm a hundred percent honest, this prologue was written purely on impulse. Someone gave me the idea of this AU without even realizing it, and I just HAD to start writing.
> 
> This will play out a little differently than the actual Beauty and the Beast story, and this certainly won't follow the plot for Bendy and the Ink Machine. I plan to have Joey be as much of an asshole as possible, so bear with me here and don't walk out on this just because of him. Henry's gonna be his wing man, but he knows some of the things Joey does aren't right, so hopefully he won't be hated as much. Explanations for many things will come, but for now, all we have is a prologue.
> 
> And I'd be lying if I said there aren't some elements from Bugaboo's "Beauty and the Boss" included in here. You'll see them right away.
> 
> Anyhow, please enjoy this little snippet, and know that I plan to finish this all the way through to the end! Thank you!


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